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Q. Can I use Arcanine's "Burning Road" Ability any time during my turn, or do I have to use it the moment Arcanine becomes Active?

A. As soon as Arcanine goes from the Bench to become Active you must choose immediately whether you're going to use Burning Road or not; you cannot delay the action until later in the turn. If you choose not to use Burning Road at that time, you could use it later if Arcanine somehow goes back to the Bench and becomes Active again. Also, if you use an attack like Growlithe's "Hind Kick" and Arcanine becomes Active, you could use Burning Road if you haven't already used it that turn. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

== ENERGY THUNDER (Electrode - XY: Evolutions)

Q. Can I use Electrode's "Energy Thunder" Ability when I have no other {L} Pokemon in play?

A. No, you cannot. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

== FRENZIED ESCAPE (Imakuni?'s Doduo - XY: Evolutions)

[*NOTE* This card cannot be used at official tournaments; these rulings are for casual play only!]

Q. When I use Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Frenzied Escape" Pokemon Power, can I put it onto my bench after throwing the card?

A. No, you cannot; it ran away, remember??? It is out of play for the rest of the game. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. When I use Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Frenzied Escape" Pokemon Power, can I put the card into a top-loader to prevent it from getting damaged when I throw it?

A. No, that would cause a "marked card" situation and is not allowed. Besides, you could really hurt someone flinging a top-loader like that (shame, shame)! (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. If my Mewtwo attacked with "Barrier" last turn, and this turn I retreat it and use Switch to make it active again, can I attack with "Barrier" again?

A. No. The prohibition against using Barrier if it was used last turn is not an effect, it is a Game State check. So it can't be cleared by moving Mewtwo to the bench. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

== CONVERSION (Porygon - XY: Evolutions)

Q. If my Active Pokemon has no Weakness and my opponent uses Porygon's "Conversion" attack to make its Weakness {F}, what happens if it is attacked by a {F} Type Pokemon next turn? How much extra damage is done?

A. No extra damage is done. While it has {F} Weakness there is no multiplier or additional damage indicated on the card, so nothing is added to the attack. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

== HARMONIZE (Imakuni?'s Doduo - XY: Evolutions)

[*NOTE* This card cannot be used at official tournaments; these rulings are for casual play only!]

Q. If the Defending Pokemon retreats while the song for Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack is being sung, does that prevent the damage?

A. No, since the damage does not take place until the song is finished, the opponent's Active Pokemon at the end of the song will receive the damage. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. What happens if Imakuni?'s Doduo is KO'd or retreats with "Frenzied Escape" while singing for its "Harmonize" attack?

A. The singing continues and the damage is placed when the song is finished. Just because Imakuni?'s Doduo is not in play doesn't mean its attack stops. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, what happens if the song is not finished before my next turn?

A. No matter how long it takes, the damage placement is delayed until the song is finished even if it takes many, many, many turns. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, if I'm still singing when it comes back to my turn, can I use "Harmonize" again?

A. The attack says "from the moment you use this attack you must begin to sing a song". So if you use Harmonize again you have to start a song over from the beginning (you may sing the same song if you wish) and the prior attack's damage gets placed immediately. It does not stack, sorry. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, what happens if I forget the words to the song?

A. As soon as you stop singing, the damage is done to the current Defending Pokemon. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, can I just play a recording of a song?

A. You may have musical accompaniment as long as it is not disruptive, but you MUST actually sing the song. Lip-syncing and humming do not count. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

== LITTLE GRUDGE (Gastly - XY: Evolutions)

Q. If Gastly attacks with "Little Grudge" and on the next turn is KO'd by Blastoise-EX's "Rapid Spin" attack, does the Energy get discarded from Blastoise EX or from the Pokemon that replaces it? Neither?

Q. Can you do Pidgeot EX's "Mirror Move" attack if the opponent's last attack "placed damage counters" (as opposed to "doing damage")?

A. No. Placing damage counters is an effect. Mirror Move does not copy any other types of effects from the last attack either. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. If an opponent's attack damages my benched Pidgeot EX, can it do "Mirror Move" during my next turn and attack for the amount of damage it received while on the bench?

A. Yes, it can. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. Let's say I have Machop active with a Focus Sash attached, and my opponent's Mewtwo-EX uses "X Ball" for 360 damage with four Double Colorless Energy and a Muscle Band attached. The Focus Sash leaves Machop with 10 HP remaining. If I then use Ninja Boy to switch Machop with Pidgeot-EX and then use its "Mirror Move" attack, does Pidgeot-EX do 360 damage in return?

A. Yes, it would. When using Ninja Boy the amount of damage done last turn is remembered by the new Pokemon, so Mirror Move would do 360 damage to your opponent's Active Pokemon. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

== RAPID SPIN (Blastoise EX - XY: Evolutions)

Q. If Gastly attacks with "Little Grudge" and on the next turn is KO'd by Blastoise-EX's "Rapid Spin" attack, does the Energy get discarded from Blastoise EX or from the Pokemon that replaces it? Neither?

Q. If a player with Exp. Share on a benched Pokemon has discarded their Active Pokemon and its attached energy due to KO from an attack and already promoted a new Active Pokemon, have they missed the opportunity to use Exp. Share?

A. Promoting a new Active Pokemon takes place after the knockout, so at that point it would be too late to use Exp. Share. (Oct 27, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

== NINJA BOY (XY: Steam Siege)

Q. Let's say I have Machop active with a Focus Sash attached, and my opponent's Mewtwo-EX uses "X Ball" for 360 damage with four Double Colorless Energy and a Muscle Band attached. The Focus Sash leaves Machop with 10 HP remaining. If I then use Ninja Boy to switch Machop with Pidgeot-EX and then use its "Mirror Move" attack, does Pidgeot-EX do 360 damage in return?

A. Yes, it would. When using Ninja Boy the amount of damage done last turn is remembered by the new Pokemon, so Mirror Move would do 360 damage to your opponent's Active Pokemon. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Q. If I have Volcanion EX in play and I use its "Steam Up" Ability, can I then use Ninja Boy to switch it with a different Volcanion EX and use "Steam Up" from the new Volcanion EX?

A. No, that won't work. Even though the new Volcanion EX is a different Pokemon than the first one, it remembers the Steam Up ability was already used this turn so you cannot use it again on that Pokemon. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)

Those Ninja Boy rulings are pretty important.
They make it clear that the Pokemon that is changed is the same Pokemon for all game purposes before and after.
Not just for game effects/statuses that are listed.
Just like a Ninja taking off a disguise.

Rules Team Member / Member of Team Compendium - The Pokemon Rulings Compendium - Co-Owner of PokeGym.net
Premiere Tournament Organizer
Invited to Judge every US National Championship and World ChampionshipMasters Head Judge TCG World Championship 2010 - Seniors Head Judge US Nationals 2009